Study of The Effect of Fenugreek Seeds on The Folliculogenesis in Super-Ovulated Female Rats

Abstract

The increase of the incidence of usage of ovulation induction and assisted reproductive technology (AST) for treatment of the anovulation disorders, causes increase of multiple pregnancy and ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome as two main complications. These two complications are caused by hyper-stimulation of ovaries. Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) is an herbal plant that has been studied for its anti-fertility activity. The aim of this research was to study the effect of fenugreek seed aqueous extract (FAE) on the folliculogenesis in super-ovulated female rats by quantifying the ovarian follicles; antral (mature follicle) and atretic follicles. Twenty-four 7-8 week-age cyclic Sprague Dawley female rats were divided into three groups (A, B and C). Group A considered as control group, the female rats in group B and C treated with fenugreek seed aqueous extract 500mg/kg and 1000mg/kg respectively. The extract was administering orally into rats in treated groups for 14 days. Vaginl smears were taken and examined daily to determine the different phases of estrous cycle. During diestrus phase of estrous cycle, the female rats in the three groups were treated with subcutaneous injection of decreasing doses of recombinant human FSH (rhFSH) to induce the superovulation. In next day (proestrus phase), the rats were sacrefied and both ovaries of each rat were removed for histological examination. Administering of 500 and 1000mg/kg body weight of the extract caused significant reduction in the number of antral follicles (p-value < 0.005), while the number of atretic follicles was increased significantly (p-value < 0.005) in both treated groups compared to control group. Moreover, the atretic follicles’ number was significantly (p-value = 0.01) higher in group C (treated with 1000mg/kg of FAE) compared to group B (treated with 500mg/kg of FAE). As an outcome of this study, FAE showed an effect on the fluculogenesis by reducing the number antral follicles and increasing the atretic follicles’ number.